[center][h1]The Three Musketeers[/h1][/center] [hr] [color=808080] “[color=ffffff]You cannot really think that I’d make a good replacement for my brother, Krish,[/color]” When the phone hung up and the call was completely cut from talking to Bella, Jax was bitching, and his nerves were showing. “[color=ffffff]I understand that you guys need a miracle and whatever but I can’t fucking do that. Anyone with one brain cell would notice that I’m not my brother,[/color]” Jax was heavily concerned with getting caught up in something that he didn’t want to be caught up in. This morning, he had a different mindset, but he found himself worrying. His older brother had [i]never[/i] been this severely hurt before. It was setting a foundation of the reality of this life and type of work for him — extremely different from casino and gang work. Krish sighed, “[color=ffffff]I…[/color]” he gestured with his hands a little as if to say that he was unsure. “[color=ffffff]Hopefully it won’t be for too long. I’m hoping your brother recovers quickly and I am hoping that you only have to be a cover for a few weeks at max. Please. It’ll help give us time and make people think that Asterion is still strong and here. We need you to do this. Please.[/color]” The redheaded man didn’t have many other options with Asterion in his current situation — a breath away from death in a highly secured hospital bed. Jax groaned in conflict as he rubbed his temples while staring at Krish, clearly, he was having a hard time wanting to do this. This was such a difficult situation. “[color=ffffff]What if I fuck up badly?[/color]” His voice was filled with concern. “[color=ffffff]You won’t. We will try our best to make minimal interactions. Your brother is not very public anyways, a lot of people do not know who he truly is or what he looks like, how he acts, and everything. You should have a pretty easy time with mine and Zarek’s guidance. We will set up a system where I will always be by your or try to be by you. Zarek can speak to you through an earpiece so you know what to say,[/color]” Krish was trying his best to talk Jax into it. Jax was clearly nervous of this plan even though this was something that he wanted when he spoke with his brother. The only Kairo in that room put his face into his hands while breathing deeply and trying to think about the overall situation. He wanted to help his brother so badly but he had some anxiety when it came down to it. What was he supposed to do? That was when he nodded in agreement, “[color=ffffff]Okay. I’ll do it for Asterion,[/color]” he confirmed that he would try. He would at least try for his older brother. [hr] Zarek and Krish were beginning the training session that they had created for Jax so he could [i]become[/i] his brother or the closest thing to Asterion. “[color=ffffff]I think the best place to start is watching and listening to all the video and audio footage that we have of your brother. Learn how he carries himself, how he talks, how he walks, the differences of how he treats men and women, everything. He’s very particular with certain things,[/color]” Krish pressed the play button on the multiple screens of the room. They were in one of the security rooms, replaying footage, and having Jax sit in a comfortable chair. “[color=ffffff]He can’t be that much different than other people, right? This should be easy. Most people won’t even know the difference, you said,[/color]” Jax was glancing back and forth from Krish and the screens. Zarek sighed and rolled his eyes, “[color=ffffff]Your brother is a little weird. You know how you, I, Krish, and other people use [i]I’m[/i] or [i]I’d[/i] or other things like that? Your brother avoids using that. He will say I am, I would, and I cannot. He loves his syllables; it's one of the many things that he does consistently different and will not mess up on,[/color]” the man explained while turning the audio up in the room so they could watch security footage of Asterion. They watched Asterion bridal carry Ayla to the room that he was found in during and after the attack. “[color=ffffff]I’m not picking up girls like that. I’m sorry. Most girls are fucking heavy,[/color]” Jax protested. “[color=ffffff]He’s not even that strong. How the fuck is he carrying her like that. Nah. I’m not doing that. I’m not touching the enemy and bridal carrying those bitches. Fuck hoes. He’s too nice that’s why he got shot,[/color]” Jax continued to talk. Krish facepalmed while Jax continued to keep going with his words. Zarek huffed out, “[color=ffffff]Just learn how to be like him. It’ll only be for a few weeks. He needs time to heal. Krish even said he’ll try and make sure you don’t interact with too many people either,[/color]” Zarek glanced at Krish and this caused the red headed man to nod in agreement. “[color=ffffff]And learn how to be blunt and stern like you don’t actually care but like your brother cares deeply about anything and everything except he’s specific on those things so he doesn’t truly care about [i]everything[/i]. Does that make sense?[/color]” Krish was looking at Jax for confirmation or rejection of that statement. Jax shook his head, “[color=ffffff]No, that doesn’t make any fucking sense,[/color]” he looked completely confused. “[color=ffffff]What Krish is trying to say is that your brother is considerate. He is considerate to his enemies and his allies. He believes in humanity or whatever it’s called,[/color]” Zarek whirled his hand in the air as if he was saying [i]do you get my gist?[/i] Jax’s face looked so confused and he stared back up at the screens of watching his brother in different security perspectives and how he was talking to different people. “[color=ffffff]Why does he do that?[/color]” The younger man asked after a while. “[color=ffffff]What?[/color]” Krish and Zarek asked at the same time and gave Jax their attention. “[color=ffffff]Why does he kiss women all the time? Like on multiple screens with multiple women, he gives them a kiss on their forehead. Like for no reason. They will be talking and he’ll do it. He’ll be leaving and doing it. I don’t have to kiss Mitzie on the forehead, do I? He seems to do that quite a lot.[/color]” Krish groaned a little, “[color=ffffff]He only does it to girls. Like younger ones. I don’t know why he does it but I think he takes on a pseudo-father-like personality when he feels like that is what they need. And yes, Asterion walks Mitzie out to her car almost every night and he will kiss her on the forehead and make sure she drives off before coming inside. He doesn’t do that to June. He doesn’t do that to Elara but he does it to Mitzie and he has done it to a few other young female workers. He doesn’t do it to young men though. If you see that security camera, he tends to ruffle younger men’s hair and stricter like he expects more from them. He’s easier on women versus men. That’s just how he is. It’s probably because of how your guys' parents were,[/color]” Krish gestured as if he didn’t really know. “[color=ffffff]What Krish is trying to say is that your brother has extremely traditional values or what some women would say sexist and misogynistic tendencies. At least he’s not an ass about it?[/color]” Zarek chuckled. “[color=ffffff]I notice that he takes on the roles of what he believes that person needs or what he is reading as the situation he’s in. So… does he just fake being something for others constantly?[/color]” Jax seemed confused while he stared up at the screen. “[color=ffffff]No… he isn’t faking who he is, Jax. It’s… Asterion is complicated. I think it’s because he wants to see everyone smile, look,[/color]” Krish picked up the remote and continued to pause all the screens, every time that someone would smile because of Asterion. “[color=ffffff]Watch how he responds, not his facial expression, but his eyes. Focus on his eyes every time I hit play, okay?[/color]” That was when he began to slowly hit play on one screen at a time. Every time someone showed him a smile or a relaxed happiness. Asterion would smile with his eyes. They would get brighter like he did something right even if it didn’t show on his face. Though there was still so much pain in his eyes, so much darkness, and a mysteriousness to what was happening behind those eyes. There were a lot of thoughts. “[color=ffffff]He just looks unhappy,[/color]” Jax stated. Krish sighed, “[color=ffffff]No, he doesn’t. Look at his eyes, Jax. They brighten whenever someone smiles at him even if their smile isn’t truly something of happiness. Just focus. You need to act like him or someone is going to figure out you are not him. Like, Bella is coming in two days. If she brings Emilia, we are fucked. Emilia spent quite a good amount of time with Asterion. If you don’t act like him, she will probably figure that out,[/color]” Krish turned the security footage to different perspectives of Asterion and Emilia when they were in the public eyes of the tower. “[color=ffffff]This is somewhat pathetic to fucking watch…[/color]” Jax murmured. “[color=ffffff]He hasn’t had sex in a while has he? Like the thirstines is seeping off from him. Dont’ show anyone these videos. They would think he’s a fucking beta,[/color]” Jax gestured up to the footage. Zarek began to laugh a bit. “[color=ffffff]Your brother is pretty cheugy,[/color]” the man continued to be amused while playing a game on his phone. “[color=ffffff]No cap, Asterion is a cheugy beta,[/color]” Jax continued. “[color=ffffff]He has no rizz. Your brother is mid when it comes to most things. Just act like a boomer and you’ll be Gucci,[/color]” Zarek continued. Krish was looking at them like he had no idea what they were saying, “[color=ffffff]What the fuck does any of that mean?[/color]” Zarek looked up, half-interested, “[color=ffffff]If you know, you know,[/color]” he shrugged his shoulders before going back to his phone game. “[color=ffffff]It means he’s basic. Not boujee. He’s a beta. At least he has drip,[/color]” Jax gestured up to the screens. Krish shook his head, “[color=ffffff]Your brother isn’t boring, you twit,[/color]” he rolled his eyes. “[color=ffffff]Just because he doesn’t do things like you do, doesn’t make him boring,[/color]” he added. “[color=ffffff]He would fail at being a sigma anyways but he could try. Get some hoes. Be chill. Stop with all this demure bullshit and be a bro. Instead he’s dying in a hospital bed because he didn't fucking shoot this bitch on the screen,[/color]” Jax gestured. “[color=ffffff]I can’t. You can sit there with him, Zarek. Since you understand what he’s saying. I’m taking a break,[/color]” Krish got up to leave the room. “[color=ffffff]Have fun boomer,[/color]” Jax waved once before his hand fell back onto his chest as Krish looked back with some offense on his face before leaving. This was only the beginning of the very long training session that Krish and Zarek would be attempting with Jax. [/color] [hr] [b]Mentions[/b] [@Qia] Bella and Emilia [@Estylwen] Ayla